Judicial Campaigns and Elections: Mississippi

Campaign Conduct

Make pledges or promises of conduct in office other than the faithful and impartial performance of the duties of the office.

Make statements that commit or appear to commit the candidate with respect to cases, controversies, or issues that are likely to come before the court

Knowingly misrepresent the identity, qualifications, present position, or other fact concerning the candidate or an opponent.

Personally solicit or accept campaign contributions or personally solicit publicly stated support. However, they may establish committees to conduct their campaigns. Campaign committees may not accept contributions more than 60 days before the qualifying deadline or later than 120 days after the last election in which the candidate participates during the election year.

In addition, the Nonpartisan Judicial Election Act prohibits judicial candidates from campaigning or qualifying for office based on party affiliation and from accepting contributions from political parties. Judicial candidates are also barred from aligning themselves with political parties.

A 1999 amendment to the Nonpartisan Judicial Election Act prohibited political parties from contributing to or endorsing judicial candidates. This provision was struck down by a federal court in 2002 as a violation of the First Amendment.